Breaking News

Blast off! Auckland school sends teddy bear into space

Auckland's Forrest Hill Primary School took its space project to another level this week and the video that's resulted is incredible.

While learning about space, rockets and weather, the class sent its mascot 'Space Teddy' as high as 90,000 feet (27,432 metres). That's more than double the height you'd fly in a commercial airliner.

The video shows Ted above Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula.

The school had to get special clearance from Airways New Zealand, which monitors air traffic, to make sure Teddy didn't come in to trouble with aircraft in the area.

Air Traffic Controllers oversaw the balloon's journey from its take- off on Auckland's North Shore, Airways Head of Auckland Operations Tim Boyle says.

"We made sure the students were able to launch the balloon safely without causing disruption to others in the airspace. Special procedures were designed to make sure Teddy was kept well separated from other aircraft.

"In the past we've worked with the likes of NASA and Google on high altitude balloon launches, which we've learned a great deal from, but this is the first time we've been asked to help send a teddy into space.